The St. Louis Cardinals head to Wrigley Field on Friday, August 14, 2026, for a 2:20 PM ET afternoon clash against the Chicago Cubs. Matthew Liberatore gets the ball for St. Louis against Cubs right-hander Clay Holmes. This is a divisional matchup that carries real weight — NL Central rivals squaring off in one of baseball's most storied environments. Catch it on Apple TV or listen on KMOX 1120 AM/104.1 FM if you're making the drive up to Chicago. For Cardinals fans, every game against the Cubs means something, and this one is no different.

Starting Pitching: Liberatore vs. Holmes

Matthew Liberatore draws the start for the Cardinals, continuing to hold down a rotation spot as St. Louis navigates the second half of the season. The left-hander will need to be sharp against a Cubs lineup that carries legitimate offensive threats from top to bottom. Liberatore's ability to work through a deep order multiple times will be the story of this game on the Cardinals' side — how he handles the middle of that Cubs batting order, specifically the Bregman-Busch-Hoerner stretch, is the central question heading into first pitch.

Clay Holmes gets the nod for Chicago. Holmes has experience working out of high-leverage situations, and facing a Cardinals lineup that can grind at-bats will test his command and pitch mix from the jump.

Cardinals Starting Lineup at Wrigley Field

• JJ Wetherholt, 2B
• Iván Herrera, C
• Alec Burleson, 1B
• Jordan Walker, RF
• Nathan Church, CF
• Masyn Winn, SS
• Bryan Torres, DH
• José Fermín, LF
• César Prieto, 3B

Keys to Watch for St. Louis

Jordan Walker in the Four-Hole

Walker batting cleanup is a vote of confidence from the Cardinals' dugout. How he handles Holmes — and whether he can deliver in run-scoring situations — will define the offensive output for St. Louis on Friday. Walker has the raw tools to do damage at Wrigley, a park that can play very differently depending on the wind.

Masyn Winn's Presence in the Middle of the Order

Winn hitting sixth keeps the lineup from falling off a cliff after the top five. His ability to work counts and put the ball in play gives the Cardinals a legitimate threat even late in the order, and that matters against a pitcher like Holmes who will try to manage traffic.

Liberatore's Pitch Count and Efficiency

The Cubs are going to make Liberatore work. Pete Crow-Armstrong at the top of the lineup, Seiya Suzuki batting second, and Alex Bregman hitting third form a disciplined, dangerous trio. If Liberatore gets into trouble early and his pitch count balloons, the Cardinals' bullpen will be tested on a hot August afternoon at Clark and Addison.

The Bottom of the Cardinals' Order

Torres, Fermín, and Prieto batting seventh through ninth is a stretch that Holmes will try to navigate efficiently and strand. If those three can find ways to get on base and create opportunities for the top of the order to cycle back through, St. Louis can manufacture enough offense to win this game.

Prediction

This matchup hinges on Liberatore's ability to limit the Cubs' middle-of-the-order damage — Bregman and Michael Busch are legitimate threats who can change the game with one swing. If Liberatore is crisp through five or six innings, the Cardinals have the lineup to scratch out enough runs against Holmes. Cardinals 4, Cubs 3 in a tight NL Central afternoon game at Wrigley.